1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed toward a construction sheet material installation tool, and more particularly to such tools that enable a single user to hold larger or overweight sheets of construction material in place, either overhead or vertically, until the user can permanently secure the materials into position.
2. Prior Art Statement
During construction projects, many simple activities require the efforts of more than one person, simply because the materials used are too large or heavy to be directed by one person. The most common of these situations occur when sheets of construction material (such as sheetrock or plywood) are being placed either overhead on ceilings or vertically on walls. However, many times there is only one person available for the job, and over the years many devices have been developed to assist a single person in handling these large sheets of construction material. The most common type devices used are ground based supports. These supports are either single member supports or mechanical lifts that hold the construction materials. In either case, the ground base supports are expensive, cumbersome, hard to operate by one person and often obstruct the worker. As an alternative to the ground base supports, devices have been developed that attach directly to the overhead or vertical surface and hold the construction material in place. This prior art for such devices is as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,403 to Paul C. Anderson shows an overhead sheet installation support tool. This device, like the current invention, screws into the surface on which the sheet material will be attached, and supports the edges of the sheet until it is secured. This device, however, includes a set of manually adjustable support members in addition to the screw. The support members add greatly to the cost and the effort needed to manufacture the device and it requires a substantial amount of time to adjust the support members adequately. Additionally, the device lacks present invention widened edge(s) that support the construction sheet material as it is being pushed into place. The widened edges prevent the construction sheet material from being damaged under its own weight as it engages the device or rests upon its top surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,459 also to Paul C. Anderson describes a further improved overhead sheet installation support tool. This device has two pivotally adjustable members in addition to the attachment screw. These adjustable members require a high manufacturing cost and require a difficult and time consuming adjustment each time the device is used. Additionally, this device lacks both a straight side ledge or a widened support for its top surface or side ledge. Both the lack of a widened support and a straight side ledge can cause damage to the construction sheet material as it is placed into, or held by, this device.
Thus, the prior art does teach the use of screw based construction sheet installation support tools but the prior art does not teach or suggest such devices that have widened side ledge(s), a minimization of parts and cost, and a simplicity of manufacturability and use that is shown by the invention developed herein.